Contact Catchcourse (feature)
Contact Catchcourse was a 21 feature printed in TV Century 21, consisting of twelve questions based on the comic strips printed in TV21 as well as real world-focused knowledge. One question referenced Unity City, a location which had been introduced in The Daleks story Duel of the Daleks.
It was given in-universe framing, with the questions being presented by Agent Twenty One and devised by TV 21's Questa Computer in order to test the "capability wavelength" of secret agents and Shades. In the introduction, Twenty One reiterated that unarmed combat, strength and fitness were all essential qualities but so too was general knowledge. He further explained that being able to pinpoint an enemy headquarters in minutes, being observant of their environment, and being able to decode geographical and historical place names were all equally important factors to an "ace" agent.
Questions were scored in accordance with their difficulty. A score between 29 and 50 was judged "excellent" and indicated that the answerer could become a "feared 'ace' agent" if they were also proficient in physical tasks while a score between 17 and 28 meant they could be a "great asset" to their organisation but might be tempted to occasionally rely on the leadership of a superior. Scorers under 17 were bluntly told to "get hold of a few reference books and swol up!" and even accused of working for the enemy unless brute force was their trademark.
Aside from 21, Contact Crashcourse crossed over with elements from other TV21 series such as Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
Questions[[edit] | [edit source]]
1. Where is Unity City?
- Bermuda (4 points)
2. What is the largest animal in existence?
- Blue whale (4 points)
3. Which is the most highly populated city in the world?
4. Only one of the following pairs of real names and code names is correct. Which? (a) Adam Svenson — Rhapsody Angel; (b) Seymour Griffiths — Colonel White; (c) Magnolia Jones — Harmony Angel; (d) Edward Wilkie — Doctor Fawn.
- (d) (5 points)
5. What is Agent 21's real name?
- Brent Cleever (4 points)
6. How many sons has Jeff Tracy?
- Five sons (3 points)
7. In British soccer, who has made the largest number of full international appearances?
- Billy Wright (4 points)
8. Which is the largest ocean on Earth?
- Pacific Ocean (4 points)
9. Is Marineville on the east or the west coast of America?
- West coast (5 points)
10. Who is the pilot of Thunderbird 4?
- Gordon Tracy (3 points)
11. Who is usually attributed with the invention of the television?
- John Logie Baird (4 points)
- Sam Shore (5 points)
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Although not elaborated upon, the incorrect codenames and real names corresponds as follows: Adam Svenson is Captain Blue, Seymour Griffiths is Lieutenant Green, and Magnolia Jones is Melody Angel.
- The prior feature Spectraquiz also contained a question involving John Logie Baird and the invention of the television while Quick Quiz had previously asked about the location of Unity City.
- In the real world, Billy Wright's record of international appearances did not last until 2069.
